Minutes - Council Work Session - 09/10/2024

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The consensus of the Council was to direct Staff to gather data and insights from the November election and bring it back for discussion for future elections and to make St. Katherine Drexel Church a polling location. 2.03: Driveway Discussion Planning Manager Larson shared the Staff report in regard to two recent variances that were requested concerning extensions of existing driveways on the sides of the garages closer than the required five feet. Councilmember Musgrove shared that she believes five feet is a lot and would like the requirement to be smaller. Councilmember Howell thanked Planning Manager Larson for his presentation with lots of visuals to aid in understanding the discussion. She said she would not be opposed to reducing the requirement to zero feet from the property line like Coon Rapids does. Councilmember Woestehoff shared that he had a neighbor whose driveway was right up to the property line, and he stated this was not the best experience. He added that this contradicts the idea that they want to keep the City feeling more rural. He noted that structures bother him more than a driveway. He asked how often things like easements would get in the way of these types of scenarios. Planning Manager Larson explained that with the Zoning Code update they put in language about easements and what can and cannot encroach into them. Assistant City Engineer Feriancek explained that in the past they have allowed fences up to the lot line; however,fences can be easily moved to work on utilities, and this would be more complicated with something like a driveway. Councilmember Olson said he would be supportive of reducing the requirement down to anything lower than five feet, including zero feet. He noted that he thinks it will still be quite rare that they will see a driveway going all the way to a lot line. Councilmember Specht stated that he would support lessening the requirement or allowing driveways up to the lot line. Councilmember Riley suggested lowering the requirement but not going down to allow driveways to the lot line as neighbors can often fight about where lot lines are. Councilmember Woestehoff agreed that this could cause further confusion on where property lines are. Councilmember Howell stated that they should enforce the code when needed but put it on the property owners to determine their lot lines before installing a driveway extension. City Council Work Session/ September 10, 2024 Page 8 of 13